1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fishing rod. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fishing rod for alerting when a fish has been hooked.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for illuminated fishing rods have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
FOR EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,059 to Ochs teaches a fishing rod assembly, the rod of which is a transparent or translucent member fitted to a handle in which a flashlight bulb is mounted for projecting light along the length of the rod from the handle to the rod tip. The rod may be fabricated of compacted glass fiber that transmits light and is formed at the handle end in the shape of a threaded cap that fastens over threads fitted on the rod end of the handle assembly. The flashlight bulb is mounted at the rod end of the handle assembly and is connected by wires to a battery or batteries mounted in a removable section of the handle.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,980 to McCullough teaches a fishing rod handle having a light therein is provided wherein the handle has an elongated cylindrical opening communicating with the rearward end, a rigid insert member having an integral tubular portion attached to the handle rearward end with the tubular portion received within the handle cylindrical opening, and having a battery in the handle cylindrical opening with a spring urging it in the direction toward the handle rearward end, and a bulb received in the tubular portion, and a switch attached to the ridged insert with circuitry connecting the switch, the bulb and the battery so that when the switch is in the xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d position the bulb is illuminated.
STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,508 to Schmidt et al. teaches an illuminated fishing rod having a self-contained light source. The rod includes an at least translucent pole and a handle connected to the pole. The handle has a cavity therein and which receives an end of the pole. A self contained light source, for example a hand-held flashlight, is removably housed within the cavity of the handle in operative proximity to the end of the pole. The activation switch of the light source may be accessible from the exterior of the handle. The pole may include a cavity therein open at the end connected to the handle. A plurality of fiber optic cables may be received within the pole cavity to conduct light along the pole.
YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,741 to Konrad teaches an illuminated fishing rod for fishing under poor ambient lighting conditions. The fishing rod includes a translucent and hollow rod coupled to a hollow handle. A light source coupled to a power source within the hollow handle is used for directing light to illuminate the translucent rod. A rotatable switch on the handle is used to activate the light source.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for illuminated fishing rods have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
ACCORDINGLY, AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a fishing rod for alerting when a fish has been hooked that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a fishing rod for alerting when a fish has been hooked that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a fishing rod for alerting when a fish has been hooked that is simple to use.
BRIEFLY STATED, YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a fishing rod for alerting when a fish has been hooked that includes a handle, a foregrip, a reel seat, a reel, a blade, and apparatus for alerting when the fish has been hooked. The apparatus includes a switch that is operatively connected to the blade, closes when the blade is flexed, and is a transducer having an output directly proportionate to amount of flexing of the blade, an illuminating element that illuminates when the switch is closed for visually alerting that the fish has been hooked, by virtue of the switch being closed when the blade is flexed by the fish hooked, wherein such flexing causes the blade to whip and cause the illuminating element to create a line of light that follows such whipping of the blade, and wherein the intensity of the illuminating element is directly proportionate to the amount of flexing of the blade, by virtue of the output of the transducer being directly proportionate to the amount of flexing of the blade, and an audio element that has an intensity and enunciates when the switch is closed for audibly alerting that the fish has been hooked, wherein the intensity of the audio element is directly proportionate to the amount of flexing of the blade.
The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.